A Drop in the Bucket
by alinaandalion
Summary: This is a series of one-shots and possibly some drabbles mixed in. It's all pretty ambiguous, actually.
1. Rain

Moving his left arm slightly, Fiyero winced at the sound of the crackling straw that comprised his body. He sighed and looked in the direction of the garden to see Elphaba tending the rows of vegetables near their small cabin.

Smiling slightly, Fiyero wandered over in her direction, "Working hard?"

She looked up, a grin on her face as she wiped her hands off on the pair of black pants she was wearing, "Do you want to help?"

As he walked over the soft dirt, he stumbled and Elphaba quickly grabbed his arm.

"I'm made of straw, not porcelain," he muttered under his breath, straightening up.

"Right, sorry," she replied softly, taking a step back from him.

Turning her attention back to the tiny garden, Fiyero bent down to help her.

As she looked up at him, he smiled sheepishly, "I'm sorry, Elphaba. I'm just not used to being so awkward and in the way."

Shrugging, she merely flicked a piece of hair out her eyes, "It's all right, Fiyero. You should probably go back inside, though. It looks like it will rain in a little while and you don't need to get wet and moldy."

With a sigh, he stood back up and started to head back to the cabin. After he got inside, he noticed the threatening grey clouds overhead and turned to the window to watch Elphaba work in the rapidly fading light. As she pulled up some weeds, the clouds finally broke and spilled out heavy sheets of rain, startling her from her work. She started to move towards the cabin, but she turned back and twirled slightly in the rain, her loose braid falling into her face as her thin white shirt clung to her emerald skin, revealing a hint of softly curved breasts. Laughing, she turned her face up the sky, reveling in the cool raindrops on her skin as Fiyero watched longingly from insidea mix of frustration and pain at his confinement on his cloth face. Looking back over her shoulder she saw him sitting there and staring at her, causing her to instantly stop as she saw the look on his face; quickly, she moved inside to find some dry clothes.

A few minutes later, Fiyero felt a pair of arms circle him from behind and a pair of lips brush against his rough cheek. Relaxing into Elphaba's arms, Fiyero closed his eyes lazily as her damp hair surrounded their two bodies like a curtain.

"One day, I'm going to find a way to change you back," she whispered.

Confused, he turned to face her slightly, "What do you mean?"

She pulled away from him, her hair falling into her face, "I thought that was what you wanted. You can't be happy as a scarecrow."

"Well, it's not really that much of a difference from what I was before," he said, jokingly, pushing her hair behind her ears and cupping her face gently. "As long as you're happy, Elphaba, I'll never be unhappy."

Closing her eyes, she relaxed slightly at his touch, "I want to fix what I did. I want to be able to touch you, Fiyero. I want you to be able to walk without falling down. I want to be able to make love with you in the rain. I want everything for us."

"You want to make love in the rain?" he asked, a grin spreading slightly on his face.

A gentle blush spread across her cheeks, "I always thought it would be very romantic. Stop grinning, Fiyero, or I'll put you outside."

"But I'll mold," he protested.

"That's not my problem, now is it?" she replied, cocking an eyebrow.

He merely laughed and pulled her back into his arms, "You're very funny. So, is this changing me back thing going to be your next project?"

Sinking into his straw-filled chest, she smiled, "Yes. And hopefully, I'll have you changed back by the next time it rains."


	2. Blue

Boq sighed as he looked down into Nessa's blue eyes.

"What is it, Boq?" she asked, gripping his hand tightly.

Impatiently, Boq pulled his hand away, "I can't do this anymore, Nessa."

"You're breaking up with me?" her eyes filled with crystal tears as she looked down at her lap.

"Yes, Nessa," he replied simply, turning to go. "Goodbye."

"Please don't leave me," she whispered, grabbing his hand and holding it tightly to her.

Sighing, he gazed down at her bowed head and knew it was impossible now for him to leave her.

"I won't leave you, Nessa," he said quietly, smoothing her dark curls.

Her face lit up with happiness and the tears in her blue eyes disappeared as quickly as they had come; he hated himself, but he couldn't leave her, not when she needed him. Smiling at her, he thought about how he hated those blue eyes that could call him back to her with a single heartbroken look; he couldn't understand the hold she had over him. Those blue eyes. One day, he would break free of her. He just had to wait for the opportune moment.


	3. Together

Taking a deep breath, Boq walked into the throne room of the palace in the Emerald City. He walked forward, his joints creaking, and kneeled in front of Glinda the Good, unable to keep from admiring her exceptional beauty.

"You called for me?" he asked, looking up at the young woman, his breath catching in his throat as he gave her a look of absolute adoration.

Smiling, Glinda stepped off the terrace where her throne stood, the light glinting off her perfect golden curls, "Goodness, get up, Boq. I'm not royalty."

As he got up, a slightly sheepish grin spread over his metal features, "I'm sorry. Did you need something?"

"Actually, I have good news," she said seriously, reaching out to take his hand. "I think I've finally found a way to change you back into a human."

"Are you serious?" Boq asked, his eyes lighting up with hope.

Nodding, Glinda's blue eyes shone with happiness, "I found a spell in the Grimmerie. I think it will work perfectly, but, Boq, I don't know exactly what it will do to you. Do you want to try it?"

"Of course!" Boq exclaimed. "I don't know how to thank you…"

"Please, don't," she cut him off. "We'll go to my private rooms for the spell. So, if you will just follow me."

Following her through the hallways, Boq tried to keep from appearing overeager. As they walked, Glinda noticed his impatience and sped up her pace in understanding of his need to move faster than a slow dignified walk.

A few minutes later, they reached Glinda's private suite and Boq followed her inside her study, looking around curiously and feeling slightly awkward at being allowed into her private rooms. There was a lot of pink in the room, but it wasn't very noticeable as the majority of the room was taken up by shelves upon shelves of books.

"Just stand over there," Glinda pointed to the window as she moved to the table in the center of the room and carefully opened the Grimmerie to the correct page.

Boq quickly moved to the window and stood there self-consciously as he wondered what the spell would feel like. A moment later, Glinda began to speak the unfamiliar words, her voice rising and falling melodically, like a song, and he felt his tin body begin to burn. Crying out, he lifted his hand to his face and watched as the metal bubbled and hissed; Glinda looked up from the spellbook and shrieked with fear as she watched him melt and shift in shape. The pain nearly unbearable, Boq sank to the floor, screaming and writhing. Rushing over to his side, Glinda tried to reach out and touch him, but quickly pulled away when the searing hot metal burned her delicate skin. Slowly, the dreadful pain drifted away from his body and he moved his arm slightly to test the new feeling in his limbs.

Rising up slowly off the floor, he cradled his still-sore arms, but quickly forgot the pain as he looked down at smooth skin and rough nails. Shouting with joy, Boq rushed over to the mirror and stared hungrily at his reflection, reveling in his return to his old body.

Sobbing with relief, Glinda walked over to him on unsteady feet, "It worked, Boq. Oh, sweet Oz, it worked."

Ecstatic, Boq turned and swept her into a fierce hug, burying his face in her hair, "Thank you so much! I can't explain how grateful…"

"I know, Boq," she replied quietly, stepping back to look at him.

Smiling hesitantly, he reached out to touch her cheek, but she pulled back.

"I need to get back," she whispered, moving past him to the door.

As she left the room, Boq yelled with frustration; he had been so close. Shaking his head, he walked out of the room. He should have known better than to think that anything had changed. Clenching his fists, he saw Glinda a few paces ahead of him in the hallway, and, on a sudden impulse, he quickened his pace and grabbed her arm.

Whirling around with surprise, Glinda asked, "Boq?"

Without pausing to answer her, he quickly pressed his lips against hers. Taken aback, Glinda merely stood there, shocked, but she soon found herself responding to his passionate kiss, nearly falling into his arms.

Pulling away, he looked at her, their heads nearly the same height, "I love you, Glinda. I always have and I always will."

She pushed a lock of his sandy hair out of his face, her eyes wandering over his attractive features. While he waited for an answer, Boq took her burned hand and placed a gentle kiss on the angry mark.

"Oh, Boq," she finally whispered, trying to make sense of her whirling senses. "I don't know what to say."

"What do you feel?" he asked simply, staring into her deep blue eyes.

"I feel…I feel alive, like I've haven't really been awake for a long time," she replied as her grip on his arms tightened. "Boq, I don't understand it. But, I could try. It's been so long since I've felt anything at all."

He nodded his head, "I understand, Glinda. And we will try, together."

As she looked into his steady brown eyes, she smiled as she understood that her chance for a new beginning was standing in front of her.

"Together," she said softly, taking his hand in hers.


	4. Shoes

"If you ever want to see your Auntie Em again, then get those shoes off of your feet!" Elphaba shrieked at the farm girl cowering in front of her.

Satisfied that she had scared the young girl senseless, Elphaba swept out of the room, cackling loudly. As soon as she had locked the door, she sank into a nearby chair, exhausted. She didn't want to deal with the brat, but she wanted, no, needed those shoes; they were all she had left to remember Nessa by. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she freed her long black hair from its braid and ran her thin fingers through it as she tried to remember the last night she had slept. Her mind was clouded with her fatigue and she knew that was because she had not slept since Fiyero had been taken prisoner; though she had collapsed after casting her spell, which didn't work, she reminded herself, it had been days since she had slept at all. Getting up, she started to make her way through the vast castle to find a bed, but she stopped walking when she heard Dorothy's sobs through the thick door.

"I just want to go home," the girl whimpered pitifully.

As she listened, Elphaba cursed when she realized that she actually felt any sorrow for the girl's plight; she knew the Wizard couldn't help Dorothy, Morrible would have no interest, and Glinda didn't have the magical capability. So, that left the task of making sure the farm brat got back home up to Elphaba. With a swift movement, she picked up the Grimmerie and began to flip carefully through its old and crackling pages; an hour later, she smiled in triumph when she found a spell that looked like it might work.

"So, I have to find an object to conduct the spell through," she mused, her brow furrowing with concentration. "It has to be sturdy and easy to explain to the simpleton, so the only logical thing she has is…Nessa's shoes. But, I wanted to keep them for myself. If I could only get them off her feet, but I can't, which is probably Morrible's doing."

Her voice trailing off with her thoughts, she paced for a few moments as she tried to think a way past her problem. Sighing with frustration, she picked up the Grimmerie and carefully made her way over to the locked door; as she unlocked the door, she tried to make as little noise as possible to keep from waking the now sleeping girl.

Kneeling near Dorothy, Elphaba began to read the spell slowly, making sure to pronounce every word carefully in the dim candlelight. After she finished the spell, she sat back on her heels, feeling all of her strength seeping out of her body; she needed to leave the room before she slipped into unconsciousness. Gently, she picked up her book and crept out of the room, locking the door again. Making her way back over to her table, she placed the Grimmerie onto its cluttered surface and pulled a sheet of paper in her direction along with a pen. She scribbled something quickly on the paper, then tucked the note into the pages of the Grimmerie, making sure it could be found easily. After she was finished, Elphaba fell into the nearby chair, her eyes glazing over as she attempted to find some rest for her weary mind and body.


	5. Losers and Cheaters

**Author's Note: **Not my best chapter, but I thought I would upload it anyway. So, enjoy, I guess. Also, a special thank you to my beta, Lady Tiggular.

**Disclaimer: **Obviously, not mine.

Blue eyes stared intently into cool green orbs, determination in the brilliant depths. For a long moment, neither moved until the moment was finally ended by the blue eyes closing and opening quickly.

"I win!" Elphaba crowed, her green eyes sparkling as she laughed at Galinda's disappointment.

Galinda pouted. "No fair. I had something in my eye."

Shrugging, Elphaba smirked, "The rule is that the first person to blink loses. No exceptions. So, I guess I don't have to suffer through another makeover tonight."

"Fine. We'll go again, double or nothing," Galinda challenged, her wide blue eyes glinting with mischief.

"Okay," Elphaba agreed, crossing her legs as she made herself comfortable on her bed.

Holding up three fingers, Galinda looked Elphaba in the eyes and slowly counted down, "Three, two, one, go."

Leaning forward, they stared intently at each other, their foreheads almost touching; as she focused on keeping her eyes open even though they were starting to water, Galinda grabbed one of her pillows and quickly threw it at Elphaba's face. With a slight yelp, Elphaba caught it, losing her concentration, and she blinked.

"I win!" Galinda squealed, clapping her hands happily.

Straightening back up, Elphaba frowned, "You cheated!"

"The rule is that the first person to blink loses. No exceptions, Elphie," Galinda reminded the green girl, grinning at her own cleverness.

Elphaba held up her hands in surrender, "Fine. You win. You can do whatever you want to me on one condition."

Looking up from her task of gathering her collection of make-up, Galinda asked. "Okay. What?"

"No pink."


	6. Dreams

_He could only stare at her as she stood in front of him, completely exposed in the early morning light. His eyes followed the long, elegant lines of her body, her brilliant emerald skin soft and inviting. As she extended a beckoning hand, he took an abrupt step forward, intoxicated. The slight tilt of her head, her stern face, all exhibited the power resonating in her slender body. His mind whirling in giddy ecstasy, he took her hand, their lips nearly touching; breathing shakily, he bent his head to kiss her full lips as her eyes slid closed._

Rolling over in his bed, Fiyero stared at the ceiling. He hated his dreams about Elphaba, but he loved them even more. At least they held his nightmares of her being caught by the Gale Force at bay. She had been gone for nearly two years now, and he thought he was going to go crazy if he couldn't find her. He wouldn't think about that possibility, though; he was going to find her, and they would live in a far-off place where no one could ever hope to find them. Smiling at the thought, he closed his eyes and allowed his mind to slip back into his dreams of Elphaba.


	7. Truth

As Glinda watched Elphaba and Fiyero run off together, she yelled, "Fine. You deserve each other!"

Shaking with heartbreak and anger, Glinda tried to figure out why her dream was falling apart. She had the prestige she had always wanted, she wore the most stylish clothes, and, for a moment, she had been engaged to the love of her life. She just didn't understand where she had gone wrong.

Elphaba. The name of her former best friend caused Glinda's blood to boil. It was all Elphaba's fault. If it wasn't for the Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda would still be at her engagement party with Fiyero, her wonderful fiancée, and she would be the happiest person in Oz. Glinda hated Elphaba. If only she had known Fiyero had loved the little witch…

"Fiyero," Glinda whispered softly, remembering the sweet way he would hold her hand and smile.

As she thought about him, though, Glinda realized how often she had pushed the romantic side of their relationship. She had nearly always kissed him first and hugged him. For a long while, Fiyero had seemed almost complacent whenever she talked to him, and Glinda wondered if he had ever really loved her. With these thoughts entering her head, she began to think about the people who claimed they loved her. Oh, how the citizens of Oz would cheer her name whenever she made a public appearance, but when she looked down at their faces, she saw only blankness and stupid happiness at seeing the favorite spokesgirl of the Wizard. Had her dream come true really only been a lie?

When the horrible truth dawned on her, she screamed, "I hate you, Elphaba Thropp!"

And she did hate her. Elphaba had made Glinda see the cracks in her perfect façade; Fiyero had never really loved her, the Wizard wasn't wonderful, and Glinda was no better than a sock puppet who repeated every word that fell from the Wizard's mouth. Elphaba had made Glinda understand that she really was unhappy. And that was the one thing Glinda would never forgive Elphaba for doing.


	8. Touching a Promise

"Where have you been?" Fiyero demanded angrily as Elphaba landed on the ground with her broomstick. "You've been gone for three days and the note you left only said that you would be back 'soon'! I've been worried sick about you, wondering where you were and if you were even okay!"

Shaking her head, Elphaba ignored his furious rant and kissed him; she clutched a folded piece of paper to her chest, her weary face about to split with her wide smile.

"I finally found a way to change you back," she replied, grasping his gloved hand tightly.

The expression on his cloth face quickly turned from anger to concern, "You went to the Emerald City? Are you all right? Did anyone see you?"

She silenced him with a green finger against his rough mouth, "I'm fine, just a little tired. But, aren't you excited about this?"

Seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, he quickly wrapped his arms around her, "Of course, Fae. I can't wait. But, you need to rest."

She allowed him to guide her into the cabin, but stopped him when he attempted to get her to lie down on the bed.

"I want to do this first, Fiyero," she said softly, her hand resting on his chest.

He shook his head, "You're exhausted. You can cast the spell after you've slept."

"No," she insisted. "I've waited two years to fix what I've done."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't blame you for anything? Sweet Oz, Elphaba, you saved my life. And, since you have waited so long, a few more hours certainly won't make a difference," he countered.

Sighing, she looked up at him, "Please, Yero. As soon as the spell has worked, I'll go to sleep."

"Fine," he grumbled, a slight smile creeping onto his face. "But only because I can't say no to you."

Grinning, she kissed his cheek joyfully and ran over to the table where she carefully unfolded the paper and pulled a candle closer in order to see the words clearly.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked, shifting his weight from one leg to another awkwardly.

"Just, stand there and stay still," she replied distractedly, already concentrating on the strange words.

Taking a deep breath, she began to read the words slowly as her voice rose and fell in a melodic pattern; she began to repeat the spell again, but she stopped suddenly at the sound of Fiyero's startled yell. Snapping her head up, her eyes widened in fear and shock at the sight of Fiyero engulfed in roaring flames. Panicked, she quickly rushed out the door, grabbing a bucket on her way, and ran to the stream right beside the cabin; she somehow managed to fill the pail with water even though her entire body was shaking with fear. As she ran back to the small house, she tripped in the darkness and dropped the bucket, spilling all of the water onto the ground. She looked at the cabin, and when she heard Fiyero utter one last scream and then silence, her head sank into the dirt while heartbroken tears poured from her eyes.

"Fiyero…oh, Yero, I'm so sorry," she whispered over and over again, curling up into a small ball.

"Elphaba, Fae, look at me," a soft voice commanded as a hand touched her shoulder.

Bolting up, she whipped her head around to see Fiyero kneeling beside her, his strong hand still resting on her shoulder. Taking in a shaky breath, she reached out and touched his face, savoring the feeling of his smooth skin.

"You're so hot," she whispered, the heat from his skin almost too scorching for her to bear.

"So I've been told," he replied, a hesitant smile on his face as he pulled her closer and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Laughing, she pulled him in for a passionate kiss, her hands moving to tangle playfully in his hair; he grinned against her lips before taking control of the situation and gently placing her on the ground, hovering over her. Pulling away from her, he looked down into her eyes, confused by the uncertain look she gave him.

"What is it?" he asked quietly, smoothing her hair away from her face.

"I just still can't believe it," she said. "I don't understand why…"

He quickly cut her off with a lustful kiss, making her moan into his mouth.

"I love you, Elphaba," he whispered huskily. "You are the most amazing, beautiful, seductive, powerful, intelligent woman I have ever met and I am the luckiest man alive that you would pick me. Believe it, Fae."

Biting her lip, she traced his face with her slender fingers, "I love you, too, Fiyero. I just can't…"

With a growl of impatience, he took her mouth with his again until they were both moaning and whimpering with pleasure.

"Then believe it just for this moment," he said.

She smiled at the familiar words before taking his head in her hands and pulling him back to her, savoring the feeling of finally being able to touch again after an eternity of separation.


	9. A Moment

**This one-shot is rated a high T to M. Proceed with caution.**

**Yeah, this is a sex one-shot. I mainly wrote it because I think every good author should have the ability to write an excellent sex scene without it being smut. Not that I have a problem with smut. I just don't want to write it. Anyway, you know the drill, I'm not going to ask for reviews, but they are very appreciated and taken very seriously. I've re-written one of these already because of a reviewer's suggestions. And the one-shot came out a lot better because of those suggestions.**

**Also, a huge shout-out to my wonderful betas, HaChosenOne and Lady Tiggular. These two are amazing and have given me wonderful advice for this and encouragement as well. You guys are so awesome.**

**So, enjoy!**

* * *

His heart pounding from their frantic departure from the Emerald City, Fiyero flopped onto the ground as he looked at Elphaba, her shoulders heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Carefully avoiding his steady gaze, she sat down beside him and pulled her knees up to her chest while he examined her face. She was older, somehow, warier and colder, though her eyes were wide with fear and hurt. He inched closer to her, moving his hand to caress her back; she jumped slightly at the contact, but soon relaxed into his soothing touch, her eyes closing lazily.

"Why did you come with me?"

Her voice startled him out of his reverie, and his hand stopped rubbing circles on her back as their eyes met.

Shifting uncomfortably under her scrutiny, he replied in a soft voice, "I wanted to. I had spent so long searching for you, pretending to be someone I'm not, that I couldn't bear the thought of watching you walk away."

"But what about Glinda? Do you really…I mean…," her voice trailed off as she blushed slightly, her attention moving to focus on the ground.

He stroked her cheek gently, "I care about Glinda, but I've never loved her. I…Elphaba, I love you and I can't live without you."

Pulling away from him, Elphaba refused to meet his eyes or respond to him. Confused, he just sat still and watched her. The years had left their indelible mark on her, and he had never felt more unsure about anything than he did at that moment. Carefully, he edged over to her, his fingers brushing against her long hair; he slowly unfastened it, his breath catching slightly as his hands tangled in the silky strands. Pulling her into his arms, he rubbed her back soothingly and pressed a kiss into her black hair. She turned her face to look up at him, and on a sudden impulse, he brushed her lips with his. Shocked by his boldness, she pulled away, unsure of what she should do.

"Elphaba," he whispered, kissing her forehead gently.

Slowly, she pushed a strand of hair out of his face before capturing his lips with hers in a chaste kiss. Encouraged, Fiyero cupped her face in his hands as their mouths moved together. As he slipped his tongue into her mouth, she shifted into his lap, making him groan from the close contact. Suddenly, he pulled away, smoothing her hair out of her face.

Confused, Elphaba asked, "Is something wrong?"

He shook his head, "No, it's just…"

Her eyes widened with understanding, and she immediately moved out of his lap to the ground, "I thought this was what you wanted."

"Elphaba, it is," he replied, taking her hands in his. "But I don't want this because you feel obligated since I left with you. I just want to know that you want me, that you…that you love me."

She looked down at their joined hands, a slight smile on her face; carefully, she moved her hands to his face, her slender fingers caressing his skin. Touching the scar on his chin from the Lion cub, she kissed it gently before gazing into his eyes.

"I love you," she whispered, trembling.

With a grin, Fiyero pulled her into his arms, his lips finding hers, a sigh escaping from Elphaba's mouth. Desperate to hold her closer, he pulled her into his lap, her legs moving instantly to straddle him. He trailed slow kisses along her jawbone to the small amount of her neck her dress revealed. Feeling his control on his desire starting to slip, he stopped his worshipful kisses as his fingers played with the buttons of her dress. Her breathing erratic, she opened her eyes to see him staring at her.

"Are you sure?" he asked her, his voice barely a whisper.

She nodded her head and leaned back into him, her mouth moving lovingly down his neck. Eager to feel his skin, she pushed his shirt off his shoulders, her hands quickly moving to caress his chest. In her curious exploration, her fingers brushed against the waistband of his pants, making a moan escape from deep inside his throat. Smiling uncertainly at him, she let her hands drop; carefully, Fiyero unfastened the first button of her dress, watching her face. As his hands quickly undid her buttons, she closed her eyes as ecstasy washed over her, making her tremble in anticipation beneath his wandering fingers. Holding his breath, Fiyero slid the dress off her body. She opened her eyes again to look at him as he simply stared at her beautiful green skin in the moonlight, her hair falling over her shoulders and down her back.

"You're beautiful," he breathed, laying her down gently onto the grass as his mouth began to place delicate kisses on her graceful neck.

Tangling her long fingers in his hair, she sighed as his lips worshipped her skin, and she soon brought his face back up to hers so she could kiss him with a ferocity that made them both feel they would explode just from the wanting in their very veins. Growing impatient with Fiyero's slow pace, Elphaba almost ripped his pants when she attempted to remove them. Sensing her desperation, Fiyero pressed their bodies together, pulling a groan from her mouth. Taking her hand in his, he kissed her as he slid inside her body; wincing, Elphaba squeezed her eyes shut.

"Are you okay?" Fiyero asked softly, pushing some of her hair out of her eyes.

"I think so. Just, wait for a moment," she replied, kissing him softly.

A few seconds later, she shifted against him, both of them moaning from the feeling. Slowly, Fiyero started to move against her, trailing kisses down her neck to her breasts; as their pace quickened, she started to rock her hips with his body, her long legs wrapping tightly around his waist as her head fell back from the waves of pleasure washing over her.

"Elphaba, Fae," he moaned into her ear, his eyes hazy with the bliss of being with her, feeling her around him.

Digging her fingers into his shoulders, Elphaba bit her lip as the sensation grew bigger, sweeping both of them away on a tidal wave of something unnamable, pure rapturous feeling flowing through them. Her muscles clenching together, she clung to him desperately; unable to hold onto his momentum any longer, he plunged into a heady floating world where they only existed together, their bodies glistening with sweat, their movement slowly calming down as they grounded themselves to the solid earth, their bodies still quivering.

"I love you, Yero," she mumbled as he rolled off of her and onto the ground.

He grinned as she moved her head onto his shoulder, "A nickname already?"

"I do recall you just giving me one in the throes of passion. I feel entitled to the right to have a special name for you, my dear," she replied, smiling.

He kissed her forehead and pulled her cloak over them, "Good, because I like it."

Snuggling into him, she shivered from the cool night air.

"I just wish I could be beautiful for you," she said softly.

Frowning, Fiyero sat up, cradling her in his arms, "But you are."

She silenced him with a finger against his lips, "You don't have to lie to me."

Frustrated, Fiyero looked at her, unable to understand how she could think she was ugly; his hands brushed through her silky, black hair as he stared longingly at her full lips.

Giving her a long kiss, he replied softly, "It's not lying. It's looking at things another way."

She smiled, but as she opened her mouth, she paused, a sound on the wind ringing in her ears.

"Did you hear that?" she cried, jumping up and pulling on her dress. "It sounds like someone's in pain."

"It's just the wind," he said carelessly as he tried to pull her back down beside him.

She brushed him off, "My sister's in danger."

"What? How do you know?" he asked quickly, his brow creasing with worry.

She shook her head, "I don't know. I just do…"

"What's wrong, Elphaba?" he demanded as her face went slack with shock.

Staring off into the distance, she replied, "Don't you see it?"

"What do you see?" he asked, confused.

Her hands trembling, she traced a path in the air in front of her, "It doesn't make any sense. It's a house, but it's…it's flying through the sky. I have to go to Nessa!"

Grabbing her cloak, Fiyero bounded to his feet, "I'll come with you!"

"No, you can't, it's too dangerous," she replied, fastening her hair into place.

As she started to run off, Fiyero grabbed her arms, "Listen to me. My family has a castle in Kiamo Ko. There's no one there except for the sentries who watch over it. We've never lived there."

"Where do you live?" she asked curiously, her interest piqued.

"In the other castle," he quickly explained. "But, you'll be safe there. It's the perfect hiding place with tunnels and secret passageways. Just, promise me."

"I promise," she said softly as he hugged her to him.

She started to leave after he let her go, but turned back.

"Fiyero, we will see each other again, won't we?" she asked quietly, biting her lip.

With a soft laugh, Fiyero pulled her back into his arms, "Elphaba we're going to be together forever. You can see houses flying through the sky. Can't you see that?"

Nodding, Elphaba pressed herself against him as they kissed tenderly before she ran off into the inky night, glancing back at him as she took off into the stormy skies on her broom. As she flew away, Fiyero glanced around the woods before heading in the same direction.


	10. A Promise

Elphaba paced the floor of the bedroom she shared with Galinda, a green envelope in her hands. A smile curving across her face, she stared down at it. At the sound of someone knocking at the door, Elphaba jumped before walking over to answer it.

"Hey," Fiyero said with a grin from where he was leaning in the doorway.

"Galinda's not here," she replied quickly as she stared at the floor.

Ignoring her, Fiyero swept into the room, collapsing lazily onto Galinda's bed; a little miffed that he had just walked in, Elphaba sat down on her own bed and stared at him with narrowed eyes.

"So, do you have any big news that you would like to share with me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Elphaba jumped off the bed, her eyes wide, "Galinda told you!"

"Yes, and I would have appreciated it if you had shared this wonderful announcement with me personally rather than make me have to find out secondhand from your roommate three days later. Elphaba, I thought we were friends," he said angrily.

"We are," she replied softly, handing him the letter. As her perused its contents, she continued talking, "It's a big honor, really. I mean, the Wizard is so powerful, and he actually wants me to help him. I just don't know how…"

"You're really nervous about this," he stated, putting her letter aside

"How did you know?" she asked, sitting back down on her bed.

He moved to sit beside her, "You're babbling, and you never do that unless you are extremely nervous. And, Galinda also told me and said that I should talk to you about it."

She looked up at him, her eyes flashing, "Is that why you're here? Because your girlfriend made you come?"

"No," he said quickly. "I just wanted to talk to you anyway. You've been avoiding me ever since that whole thing with the Lion cub a few days ago."

"I've been really busy," she explained calmly, her long fingers playing with her thin blanket.

Fiyero rolled his eyes, "You and I both know that is a load of bullshit. Now, what's going on?"

Sighing, Elphaba held her head in her hands, "I don't know, Fiyero. Dr. Dillamond being arrested like that really bothers me, and I don't understand why the Wizard doesn't know about what is happening to the Animals."

Taking her hand in his, Fiyero said confidently, "Well, you're going to go and tell the Wizard all about it, and he'll fix everything and make you his wonderful Grand Vizier as soon as you graduate. You'll see, Elphaba."

"You're too optimistic for your own good," Elphaba murmured as her head rested gently on his shoulder.

"Oh, I have something for you," he said, fumbling through his pockets.

As he pulled out a slender box, she looked at him curiously, "What is it?"

He grinned, "Open it up and find out."

Carefully, Elphaba took the box from his hands and opened it to see a small emerald hanging from a slender silver chain.

"Oh, Fiyero, you shouldn't have gotten this for me. In fact, I can't accept it," she said hurriedly, shutting the box and pushing it back into his hands.

"But, it's a present for good luck," he replied, pulling the necklace out. "You have to take it."

Elphaba smiled softly, "Thank you, Fiyero."

Grinning back at her, he started to put the necklace around her neck but stopped, "You have to promise me that you'll come back if I give it to you, though."

"What?" she asked with a small laugh.

"You know, promise me that you won't fall so madly in love with the Emerald City that you stay there forever," he explained. "After all, I would then no longer have a study partner who would stay on my ass about my homework, and Galinda would be terribly upset, so I would have to spend all my time cheering her up instead of studying. Therefore, I would flunk out and never make something of myself."

"I don't think I've ever been blackmailed and sent on a guilt trip at the same time," she mused. "I'll have to think about it."

"Elphaba," he complained, the hope in his eyes disappearing.

Laughing slightly at the crushed look on his face, Elphaba replied, "I promise, Fiyero, that I will go to the Emerald City and come back. I wouldn't want you to be a failure on my account."

As he smiled happily, he fastened the necklace around her neck; quickly, Elphaba tucked it under her dress.

"For safe-keeping," she said softly at the confused look her gave her, giving him a hug.

Nodding, Fiyero kissed her forehead gently before the door suddenly swung open.

"Oh, Elphie, you should have some with me tonight," Galinda said as she pranced into the room. Seeing Fiyero, she smiled, "Fiyero, dearest, you did talk to her! So, are you still nervous, Elphie?"

Shifting away from Fiyero, Elphaba nodded, "A little bit. Talking with Fiyero helped, though."

Suddenly feeling awkward, Fiyero stood up, "I think I'll leave the two of you to your gossip. Goodnight, Elphaba. I'll see you in the morning, Galinda."

Elphaba smiled weakly as Fiyero gave Galinda a kiss on the cheek and left the room. As Galinda continued with her exuberant story after the door had closed, Elphaba laid back on her bed, her fingers unconsciously playing with the necklace hidden under her dress, a soft smile on her face.


	11. Time

Clutching her knees to her chest, Elphaba shivered in the cool, moist air as she peered around the large dark space. The water that Dorothy had drenched her with had soaked through her dress, making the cloth heavy and extremely cold against her skin; goose bumps trailed up and down her body as she attempted to conserve her body heat. It felt like she had been trapped there for days, wondering when Fiyero was going to return for her, but it could have only been a few hours. Tensing with worry, Elphaba hoped that Fiyero hadn't been discovered, or worse, killed. She hoped he would hurry; her feverish, glazed eyes searched the darkness for a way out of the suffocating prison. She couldn't breathe, and her body refused to give her any rest in either merciful sleep or preferable death. Desperately, she dug her fingernails into her legs, feeling her broken nails bruising her skin as she gasped slightly in pain. The walls were closing in. Surely, Fiyero hadn't forgotten about her and left her to fade away in the darkness underground. So much time couldn't have passed. Or, maybe time had stopped, and she would there forever, trapped forever in an inescapable prison, suffocated by the dark. Her mind raced. Time…time…death…

A knock on the trapdoor above her head pulled her out of her nightmare as the heavy wood was lifted.

"Elphaba?" Fiyero called softly.

She lifted her head, "Fiyero?"

Quickly, he reached down and attempted to help her as she pushed her body out of the dark hole.

"It worked," Fiyero said softly, hugging her to his chest.

She reached out a hand and touched his rough burlap cheek, tears forming in her eyes, "I'm so sorry, Yero."

"No. You did the best you could. You saved my life," he told her, brushing her tangled hair out of her face.

"You're still beautiful," she whispered.

Looking into her eyes, he said, "You don't have to lie to me."

A slight smiled crept over her face as she replied, "It's not lying. It's looking at things another way."

Shaking his head, Fiyero pressed a kiss to her forehead, "I love you."

She relaxed into his pleasantly warm, straw arms, "I love you, too. I was so afraid, Yero. I needed you, down there in the darkness. I couldn't…I thought I was going mad. I missed you too much."

"You're delirious, Fae," he whispered, his gloved hands resting over hers.

Her eyes closing, she smiled softly, "Yes, I am. But that doesn't make what I said any less true."

As they sat together on the cold stone floor, Fiyero smiled sadly as he watched her, her chest rising and falling in an even rhythm. Neither of them had ever thought their lives would end up like this, but they didn't care. For the moment, it was enough that they could simply hold each other in their arms as time stood still.


	12. Storm

As a lightning flash illuminated the dark library, Elphaba moved to a window to look outside. Furious winds whipped tree branches as they battered the solid stone walls of the building. Thunder rolled as the light disappeared, making some of the other students trapped in the extensive library scream. Rolling her eyes, Elphaba merely watched, her irritation at the fact that the storm had interrupted her work dissipating into the heavy, musty air.

"Hey."

Turning around as lightning split the sky, Elphaba cocked a dark eyebrow at the sight of a very wet Fiyero standing in front of her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, laughing at his pathetic state.

He shrugged, his shirt dripping water onto the carpet, "Galinda was worried about you, so I volunteered to come make sure you're okay. Her friends' endless shrieking also helped convince me to make my way across the muddy campus and brave near death."

"Well, as you can see, I am very much alive and in perfect health, so you can leave if you want," she replied, a slight smirk still on her face.

"I think I'm wet enough," he said, plopping down into a chair.

Shaking her head, she just turned back to the window as another lightning bolt cleaved the sky in two; Fiyero jumped at the sudden growl of thunder.

Watching him out of the corners of her eyes, Elphaba said, "I didn't know you were afraid of storms."

"I'm not," he replied defensively, sinking deeper into the cushioned chair.

She laughed, "Yes, you are. You just nearly jumped a mile out of your chair at the sound of thunder."

"Okay. I might be just a tiny bit afraid of thunder. And lightning," he admitted sheepishly as he ran his fingers through his soaked hair.

"Come here," she said, extending a hand in his direction.

Reluctantly, he crept out of his chair and to the window, taking her hand in his.

"Why aren't you afraid?" he asked softly.

"It's beautiful. This is what nature looks like when it's free and wild. It's frightening, powerful, and absolutely breath-taking," she whispered as she watched the iron-gray skies, another flash throwing her face into sharp relief.

Rather than watching the tumultuous chaos outside, Fiyero looked down at Elphaba as the flashes of light danced across her face in random bursts, making her eyes glint with something he could not name.

"What is it?"

Her quiet voice pulled him from his private thoughts back into the stifling air of the library.

A wave of thunder boomed in the distance as he said, "I don't think I'm afraid anymore."

With a slight smile, she merely squeezed his hand gently as they watched the storm.


	13. Parents

With a sigh, Elphaba snuggled into Fiyero's side, the sheets clinging to their bodies. Absentmindedly, Fiyero ran his fingers through her hair as his eyes closed lazily. Opening them again a few moments later, he frowned at the sight of Elphaba's furrowed brows, her hand resting on her stomach.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his hand moving to rub her back.

She shook her head, "Nothing"

"I know that this is something. Now, tell me what's bothering you," he insisted.

Sighing, she sat up, "I'm pregnant."

For a long moment, Fiyero just laid there, attempting to wrap his mind around the concept.

"Are you serious?" he finally asked, sitting up beside her.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Well, isn't this a good thing?" he said.

She just shrugged and closed her eyes as he gently traced circles on her back.

"This isn't bad news, Fae," he told her as he kissed her forehead. "You're going to be an excellent mother. And, it's not like it wasn't going to happen eventually, you know. I've been kind of hoping that we could have a baby soon."

"But, aren't you worried?" she asked, refusing to meet his eyes.

"About what?" he pressed, until he understood what she meant. "Elphaba, I do not care if this baby is green or orange or pink. This is going to be our child, which means that he or she will be loved and cherished, and there is no one around who would make fun of our baby. The only other companions we have are the Animals in the settlement, and they even live a complete hour away."

"You don't mind if our child has green skin?" she questioned, looking at him in curiosity.

"Of course not. I find green skin intoxicating," he replied, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

"So, I should be worried about you being a good parent," she teased.

"That's not fair," he protested. "I was merely saying…wait. Elphaba, you know I hate it whenever you make me lose track of our discussion."

"I'm sorry, Yero, but you make it too easy. My personal favorite is using sex as a distraction," she said, laughing.

"That's because you enjoy it, too," he replied.

"It's also the most effective," she added.

"Well, wait…damn it, Elphaba. You're good," he said as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"I can't help it," she said, sinking back onto the bed.

Lying back down beside her, he grinned, "Well, now I remember where we were. Like I said, you're going to be a wonderful mother. Now, I might not be such a great father."

"If you're hoping for a compliment to reassure your pride, you are sadly mistaken, my dear," Elphaba told him.

"It was kind of a pathetic try," he admitted, pulling her into his arms. "Now, do you want to celebrate our good news?"

She stroked his cheek, grinning, "Sex on your mind?"

"Maybe," he replied with a teasing wink as he leaned down to kiss her.

Pulling away, she said, "You do know that after we have this baby, the ability to make love at the drop of a hat will come to halt, right?"

"Well, we need to make up for that fact while we can," he told her as he kissed her neck.

Laughing, Elphaba pulled him closer to herself as he kissed her.


	14. Birth

**Well, I've started to run out of ideas. So, if you have any, please send them to me in a review or something. It's kind of frustrating to have this kind of writer's block. Anyway, I had to follow up on Elphaba being pregnant. Enjoy!**

Fiyero glanced up from his book as Elphaba struggled to get out of her chair, her large stomach making any movement an irritating hassle for her.

"You should be relaxing," he told her as he helped her get up and started to lead her to the bedroom.

She grimaced, "I hate feeling useless. Hopefully, this nuisance of a baby will be born soon, so I can get back to my normal life."

"You don't mean that," he replied patronizingly as he walked with her.

As she opened her mouth to reply, a sharp pain in her lower abdomen made her grasp Fiyero's hand tightly, causing him to wince in surprise.

"Do you have to squeeze so much?" he asked, trying to get her grip to loosen.

"I'm sorry to inconvenience you," she hissed, "but this baby is coming right now."

"What should I do?" Fiyero asked frantically, letting her go.

She struggled to get her balance for a moment after he suddenly released her hand as she snapped, "I think finding the midwife in this village would be a good start. For once, you were right. Living in this village has saved me the trouble of making you run from our cabin in the middle of nowhere."

"You need to get in bed," he said quickly, his face lined with worry.

As he took her arm to guide her into their small bedroom, she replied, "What I need is the midwife, and if you do not leave in the next second to find her, I will personally make sure that you never see the light of day again."

He started to protest, but the dangerous glint in her eyes quickly convinced him to turn around and bolt out the door in search of the midwife. As soon as Fiyero left the tiny house, Elphaba began to slowly walk back into the bedroom, gasping with the pain of a contraction.

"Damn any entity that exists that thought it would be a good idea for any woman to attempt to push a human child out of her body. They must have a wonderful sense of humor," she grumbled as she reached the bed and collapsed onto it.

A few minutes after she managed to reach the bedroom, Fiyero charged back into the house, dragging the Sheep midwife behind him.

"Elphaba, where are you?" he called as he looked around the house.

"In the bedroom," she replied before another contraction swept over her.

The midwife hurried into the bedroom, and Fiyero followed after her.

Noticing Fiyero behind her, the midwife gave him an apologetic smile as she closed the door in his face, "It's probably best if you don't come in. Most fathers are harder to get through the birth than the mother."

"If you think it's best," he replied in resignation as Elphaba threatened loudly to dismember him for making her get pregnant.

As soon as the door slammed shut in his face, Fiyero collapsed into a chair and waited tensely as Elphaba's loud curses rang out from behind the door. Jiggling his foot, he tried to think of something other than the pain she was obviously experiencing and hoped that the ordeal would soon be over. A few moments later, unable to sit still, he jumped up and paced the floor, his hands moving from his pockets to his hair and back again. Hours passed in this fashion with him glancing anxiously at the door anytime the house grew silent only to hear Elphaba spit out a strained curse as she had another contraction. Finally, as the night wore on into another day, Elphaba's voice faded away to be replaced by the faint cry of a baby. Excitedly, Fiyero turned towards the door and waited with impatience for the midwife to emerge.

A while later, the Sheep opened the door and motioned for Fiyero to follow her inside with a smile, "Come see your new child."

Fiyero immediately bolted across the room and rushed to Elphaba's side to see her holding a baby wrapped up in a blanket.

"Meet your son, Yero," Elphaba said softly, handing him the small form.

He carefully took the baby from her hands and held it as carefully as possible as he studied the baby's features.

"He's not green," Elphaba told him anxiously as she waited for Fiyero to say something.

With a laugh, Fiyero shook his head, "I just can't believe that he's real. It's just…"

She smiled, "I know."

Kissing her forehead, he gave the baby back to her, "I'm so happy, Fae. He's perfect."

"Yes, well, he's your son," she replied, a teasing smile on her face.

"Very funny," he said as he laughed.

Shifting slightly, she said, "He needs a name."

"I can't think of anything," he said with a sheepish grin.

"I was thinking Galinda would be appropriate," she replied.

Chuckling, Fiyero nodded, "Well, she would be honored, but I'm sure we can come up with a better name. Our first girl can be named Galinda."

"How about Liir?" Elphaba asked, ignoring his suggestion for their next child.

"I like it," he agreed. "So, when are we having another one?"

"I do not plan on having any more children in the near future. And that near future is the next five years. So, unless you're planning on pushing a child out of your body through a tiny hole, I don't think it's going to happen soon," she replied calmly as she rocked Liir.

Fiyero smiled, "I see your newfound motherhood has not changed you."

"Nope," she said as she snuggled into her bed. "So, do you want to stay with me while I sleep?"

"Of course," he replied.

Smiling, she made room in the bed for him, and he moved carefully beside her, taking her into his arms while she cradled Liir close to her chest.

"Night, Yero," she mumbled as he eyes slid shut.

"Night, Fae," he whispered with a grin as he stroked his son's head. "Goodnight, Liir."


	15. A Touch

Cursing under his breath, Fiyero tried to figure out how he had managed to get sucked into grabbing the cage of a Lion cub and following Elphaba into the middle of the woods while the rest of their classmates were still held captive by a seemingly painful spell. He still wasn't sure what Elphaba really expected him to do, or what he even expected to happen. Shaking his head, he decided that it would be easier if he just concentrated on keeping from stumbling over the uneven ground. Several minutes later, they ran into a clearing, both panting from the adrenaline of their escape. As Fiyero looked around, he allowed the cage to swing in his hands while he chanced a glance in Elphaba's direction, taking in her heaving chest and her fierce, glowing eyes that narrowed when she looked over at him.

"Be careful," Elphaba snapped at Fiyero.

His hands automatically moved to steady the cage that contained the Lion cub as he said, "I am."

She looked around the clearing, "We have to find some place safe to release him."

"Do you think I don't know that?" Fiyero asked impatiently. "You must think I'm really stupid."

"No, not really stupid," she replied without thinking.

Ignoring her, he set the cage on the ground as Elphaba stood at his side moving agitatedly from one foot to the other.

"Why is that every time I see you, you're causing some sort of commotion?" Fiyero asked as he ran his hand through his messy hair.

She sighed, "I don't cause commotions. I am one."

"That's for sure," Fiyero said.

She glared at him, "Oh, so you think I should just keep my mouth shut? Is that what you're saying?"

He shook his head quickly, "No, I'm…"

"Do you think I want to be this way? Do you think I want to care this much? Don't you know how much easier my life would be if I didn't?" she continued, completely ignoring him.

"Do you ever let anyone else talk?" he shot back.

She stopped and looked at him, "Oh, sorry. But, can I just say one more thing? You could have just walked away back there."

He shrugged, "So?"

"So, no matter how shallow and self-absorbed you pretend to be…" she replied before he stopped her.

"Excuse me, but there is no pretense here. I happen to be genuinely self-absorbed and deeply shallow," he said defensively.

Smiling slightly, she shook her head, "No, you're not, or you wouldn't be so unhappy."

He started to walk away, "Fine, if you don't want my help…"

"No, I do!" she insisted as she knelt beside the cage. "Poor thing, its heart is trembling. I didn't mean for…"

"What did you mean to do? And why was I the only one you didn't do it to?" he asked quietly as he knelt beside her.

Flustered, Elphaba trained her gaze on the ground, unable to come up with an answer that she could tell him. She imagined telling him that she didn't put the spell on him because she was madly in love with him. Yes, that would go over well. Biting her lip, she just shrugged and hoped he wouldn't press the issue. She looked up at him as she continued to consider the possible answers she could give him, and noticed that there was an angry mark on his chin oozing small drops of blood.

"Oh, you're bleeding. He must have scratched you," she said as she touched his cheek gently.

Feeling his breath catch in his throat, Fiyero replied, "Or maybe he scratched me."

Smiling uncertainly, Elphaba didn't move her hand; frozen, they stared into each other's eyes. His mind whirling, Fiyero fought the odd urge he suddenly had to kiss her. He knew he was attracted to her, but he had never felt like this. As she stared up into Fiyero's eyes, Elphaba hoped that he just might kiss her, even though she knew that was impossible. The air crackled with unseen tension and longing, and it was too much for Fiyero; it was too dangerous, too uncertain.

"Well, I better get to safety, I mean, the Cub, get the Cub to safety," he stammered, quickly grabbing the cage.

"Right," she agreed, her eyes falling to the ground, her hopes dashed by his unknowing rejection.

As he ran off, he heard her call his name, but he couldn't go back. Even though he wanted to run to her more than anything, he refused to do something that foolish when he wasn't thinking clearly. It was just a brief touch. Her hand had only rested against his face for a moment. There wasn't anything between them except a very good friendship; at least, it was safer for him to believe that.


	16. Fire

Carefully, Elphaba set Liir down in his crib.

"Good night, Liir," she murmured as she pressed a kiss to his forehead.

She walked out of the room quietly and crept down the hall to the bedroom she shared with Fiyero. Walking inside, she grinned at the sight of him lounging on their bed.

"You're always so busy," she remarked as she walked over and sat down beside him.

He pulled her into his arms, "You are, too. Is Liir asleep?"

She nodded as she snuggled into his embrace, "I don't think we'll hear from him again tonight."

"Good," he murmured as he kissed her neck.

Laughing, she arched her neck as his lips moved across her skin, "I'm not sure I understand what you want."

He grinned, "Then let me explain."

Quickly, he moved her back onto the bed and kissed her passionately, his hands caressing her body. As his lips moved back down to her neck and his fingers played with the buttons of her dress, she moaned with pleasure, her hands tangling in his hair. The moment he managed to unfasten her dress, though, she sat up, her face wrinkled with confusion.

"What is it?" he asked breathlessly, his fingers still playing with her dress.

"Do you smell something?" she replied, quickly smoothing her hair and fastening her buttons again as she got up.

Sighing, he followed her to the door, the familiar scent floating through the air.

"Yeah, what do you think it is?" he said.

She paused, "It smells like something is burning."

His eyes widening, Fiyero jerked their door open to see flames licking the walls of the kitchen.

"Liir," Elphaba breathed as she ran down the hall to find her son.

Looking around, Fiyero waited for her until she raced back, carrying their screaming baby. He grabbed her arm quickly and they ran through the back entrance of the cabin as the flames moved closer to the hallway.

After they made it outside, Elphaba placed Liir in Fiyero's arms, "Here, calm him down."

Before he even had a chance to respond, she took off towards the house and charged back into the burning building.

"Elphaba, come back!" he yelled as he bounced his son up and down in an attempt to get him to stop crying.

Ignoring him, Elphaba continued to push further inside the house; she couldn't just leave all her books and research that she had collected over the past three years. Desperately, she grabbed everything in sight as the fire threatened to close around her. Seeing that the flames were about to cut her off from any escape, she gave a yell of frustration and fear as she tried to find a way out of the flaming prison.

While he watched the burning house anxiously, Fiyero paced back and forth, debating whether or not he should go in after Elphaba. He hated the fact that she seemed to have no limits when it came to risking her life for whatever reason. Shaking his head, he kept walking back and forth, his eyes fixed on the burning cabin that was going to collapse at any moment; suddenly, her voice split through the night with a loud scream that made his blood freeze.

"Damn it, Fae," he muttered as he placed Liir on the ground and started to run back to the burning cabin, hoping that he would be able to get to her before she was trapped inside.

As he neared the door, Elphaba stumbled out into his arms and collapsed, her books and papers falling to the ground. Fiyero caught her and fell to the ground with her as he examined her for any burns or other injuries. His eyes quickly saw the smoldering fabric of her dress, so he jumped up and stomped on it until all the sparks disappeared. Still worried about the dress igniting into flames, he ripped off all the damaged fabric.

"Fae?" he whispered as he rubbed her arms.

Slowly, she moved her head and looked up at him with a weak smile, "Hey, Yero. Is Liir okay?"

He nodded as he helped her stand up, "Come on, you can come see him. He's settled down now."

"My books," she protested as he started to lead her away from the still-burning cabin.

"I'll get them in a minute," he replied soothingly. "Right now, let's check on Liir."

"Okay," she whispered as they walked slowly over to where Liir lay on the ground.

Helping her sit down, Fiyero placed Liir in her arms and kissed her forehead.

"I'll be right back," he said softly as he got up and walked off.

As he approached the cabin, he shuddered at the thought of Elphaba being trapped inside. Quickly, he grabbed the books and loose papers and hurried back to Elphaba and Liir.

"I've got them," he said as he showed the books to her before he flopped down onto the ground beside her.

Holding her son close to her chest, she murmured, "Good."

"Oh, and, Fae?" Fiyero said.

She looked over at him, "What, dear?"

"If you ever do something as stupid and dangerous as running into a house that is burning, I will kill you myself," he told her seriously.

Leaning over, she kissed him and smiled, "I'm sorry, Yero."

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, pressing a kiss into her black hair.

"What are we going to do now?" she asked softly, shifting in his arms to look up at his face.

He shrugged, "I don't know. We'll have to head to the village and stay there."

She sighed, "Our entire lives were in that cabin, Yero."

"No, they're not," he replied, shaking his head. "My life is right here with you and Liir. We can have that anywhere."

"I love you," she told him, kissing him again.

"And I love you," he responded as he dropped a kiss on her nose. "I also love this little guy right here."

She smiled, "Yes, well, we probably need to start walking to the village."

He groaned, "As always, you have to be right. Come on, Fae."

Laughing, she gathered up her books and handed them to him. As soon as they were both ready to leave, she linked her arm through his, and they walked away from their smoldering home.


	17. Friends

**Well, my mind is slowing down in this area, so I'm working on trying to get some inspiration. However, if you have anything that you want to see happen, a Gliyero fic or another love scene or even a Gelphie, let me know, and I'll be happy to write one. And, I hate begging for reviews, but please review. I take one-word responses. Anyway, enjoy the story!**

Fiyero shook his head as he strolled across the Shiz campus under the night sky. While Galinda was certainly a fun girlfriend, she was also very time-consuming. With her around, he was more than certain that he would easily fail all his classes; unfortunately, he actually liked Shiz and wanted to stay. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He needed to find a solution for his problem and fast.

As he continued walking, he saw a figure in the distance. He started to just keep going in the direction of his quarters, but his curiosity made him change directions and creep silently towards the mysterious person. When he got closer, he ducked behind a tree and watched the person until he realized that he was looking at a young woman dancing in a strange, but vaguely familiar, pattern, the moonlight bathing her lithe figure in its iridescent glow. He moved closer, careful to remain hidden, and was shocked to see the girl had brilliant emerald skin.

"Elphaba," he murmured, his tongue rolling pleasantly over the syllables.

At the sound of his voice, Elphaba whirled around to face him, her eyes wide with surprise. Before he could say anything else, she quickly ran over to where she had left her shoes and grabbed them. Seeing that she was about to disappear, Fiyero bolted towards her and grabbed her arm.

"Wait," he told her as she struggled to get away.

"Let me go!" she snarled, trying to kick him.

"Just, wait!" he insisted.

She stopped struggling, "Why? So you can insult me? You already saw enough to tell all your friends about the freaky green girl you caught dancing by herself. Excuse me if I don't want to stay around to hear it now."

"If I wanted to do that, I could have already. I've seen you dancing out here before," he said quietly, letting go of her.

She just stood there, "What?"

He shrugged, feeling slightly embarrassed, "I saw you out here dancing last week from my window. It was fascinating. You actually surprised me tonight. I hadn't expected to see you out here, like this, again."

Biting her lip, she dropped her shoes, "Oh."

"And, Galinda talks about you a lot. She's so enthralled by you that she's been making me feel bad about the way I treated you when we first met," he continued.

"You mean, when you ran me over with your carriage and proceeded to insult me?" she questioned, smirking.

He sighed, "Well, when you put it that way, I sound like a complete asshole."

She just continued to look up at him, that sarcastic smile still on her face.

"Okay, maybe I did act like an asshole," he admitted. "I'm sorry. Do you think we can start over?"

Pursing her lips, she pretended to think for a moment before saying, "All right, I'll accept your apology."

"Good," he replied with a grin. Bowing, he took her hand in his, "Good evening, miss. My name is Fiyero Tiggular. And yours is?"

She giggled quietly at his pretend formalities, "My name is Elphaba Thropp, Master Tiggular."

"No formalities please, Miss Elphaba," he told her.

"Very well," she acquiesced with a slight nod of her head. "The same goes for you, Fiyero."

"Now that we are acquainted, may I have the pleasure of walking with you, Elphaba?" he requested with a smile.

She smiled back up at him, "If you insist."

As they started to walk down the deserted path together, Fiyero said, "You know, I've never heard you giggle before."

"Does it annoy you?" Elphaba asked, a slight edge in her voice.

He shook his head, "No, it just surprised me."

She frowned, "Why?"

"Well, it's very girlish," he explained.

"And you don't think of me as a girl?" she asked, slightly offended by the implication.

"No, no. It's just, you seem so serious, like you don't do things like giggling or gossiping like other girls do," he replied.

She thought about his words before shrugging her shoulders, "Well, I can see how that makes sense. And, you said 'like' a lot in that one sentence."

"What are you trying to say?" he asked quickly, pretending to be affronted.

Grinning, she just shrugged her shoulders again, "Nothing. Maybe I meant that all the time you've been spending with Galinda has destroyed your already tiny vocabulary."

Fiyero frowned deeply until a thought occurred to him, "But, you spend a lot of time with Galinda, too. How do you keep your brain cells from dying?"

She laughed, "It's called reading, Fiyero. Anyway, I don't think you had a lot of brain cells to lose in the first place."

"You must like insulting me," he muttered, crossing his arms.

Laughing, she nudged his arm with her elbow, "Cheer up. I'll help you if you want."

"Help me with what?" he asked suspiciously.

"Well, I know you've been falling behind in your classes, which probably means that you are perilously close to failing, and consequently, leaving Shiz. Since Galinda is my best friend and roommate, and you're her boyfriend, your departure from Shiz would make her terribly distraught for weeks. So, I will make sure you go to all your classes and I'll tutor you twice a week," she explained, linking her arm through his.

"That sounds like a good idea," he agreed, smiling down at her.

She grinned back, "Does this mean we're friends?"

"Yes," Fiyero said. Pausing, he asked, "Why do you dance by yourself?"

She blinked, "Well, I wasn't expecting that."

"Tell me," he insisted gently, taking a seat on the ground and pulling her down beside him.

Groaning, she sprawled out onto her back, "I don't know if I can explain it. It's just, sometimes, I feel the need to move, and I can't ignore it. This might sound weird, but I hear music in my head when I'm dancing, and it feels like I can't express the sound in any other way."

Fiyero propped himself up on his elbow so he could watch her face, "No, it makes sense. After all, dancing is just an extension of music, a way for the body to fully experience melody and harmony at the same time."

"That's really insightful, Fiyero," she said as she sat up, pulling pieces of grass out of her hair.

"Thank you. We'll have to dance together some time," Fiyero replied.

"I've never danced with another person before," she told him quietly.

He frowned, "Why not?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. I guess my green skin scares away most people."

"It's emerald," he said softly.

"What?" she asked, turning her head to look at him.

He bit his lip, "Your skin isn't green. It's emerald."

"And that matters, how?" she questioned.

"Well, green is so ordinary and dull. Emerald is, well, beautiful," he replied quickly.

For a few moments, she just stared at him, taken aback.

Finally, she gave him a hesitant smile, her cheeks slightly flushed, "No one's ever said that to me before."

"Well, it's true," he said, taking her hand in his. "And don't ever forget it."

"You're a good friend, Fiyero," she whispered, giving him a hug.

He laughed, "You are, too. You do know that you've pretty much agreed to spend nearly all your free time with me, studying, right?"

"Yes, and it will be worth it," she said smiling.

"Yeah, well, it had better be," he replied with a teasing grin as he stood up. Offering his hand to her, he said, "Come on. Galinda will be worried if you stay out too late."

Ignoring his help, Elphaba stood up and brushed some grass off her dress before picking up her shoes, "Lead the way."

"You mean, you don't know how to get back?" Fiyero pretended to be shocked.

She just slapped his arm lightly, "No, I'm just inflating your manly pride so you don't feel like a complete failure."

With a laugh at his hurt expression, she walked off.

Shaking his head, he followed her, "That hurts, Elphaba. That really hurts."

She just laughed again and took his hand as they walked together.


	18. Lies

**So, I wrote this as a companion to one of my past chapters, "Blue". I thought it would be interesting to look at things from Nessa's point of view. Anyway, I'm still open to requests. I'm already working on writing a Gelphie one, which will be either fluff or angst. I haven't decided. So, I hate asking/begging for reviews, but I'm doing it anyway. Please review, and enjoy the chapter!**

As Nessa held Boq's hand, humming happily, she felt him shift uncomfortably, his heavy sigh interrupting her thoughts.

Worried, she tightened her grip on his hand, "What is it, Boq?"

He pulled his hand away from her and said abruptly, "I can't do this anymore, Nessa."

She could feel her heart breaking at the finality echoing in his voice.

"You're breaking up with me?" she whispered as her eyes filled with tears.

She watched as he turned away, seeing the pity in his eyes, but there was nothing else; no love, no hatred. Just pity.

"Yes, Nessa," he replied, his voice much gentler as though he understood how hurt she was. "Goodbye."

She just stared up at him, unable to understand why he was leaving her. She knew he pined after Galinda. Elphaba thought Nessa couldn't see it, but she would have to be blind to miss the adoring looks Boq gave Galinda anytime the blonde girl passed by him, completely indifferent to his affections. Nessa hated Galinda for the fact that she had won Boq's heart without even trying, and there were times when Nessa hated Boq as well for being so infatuated with a girl he could never have. Nessa knew Boq was perfect for her; he just couldn't seem to see it.

Quickly, she grabbed his hand and held it tightly to her chest as she sobbed, "Please don't leave me."

A moment later, she heard him sigh and knew that he was going to stay with her.

"I won't leave you, Nessa," he told her quietly as he stroked her dark brown hair.

Nessa waited for him to continue, but he just looked down at her with pity lurking in the depths of his brown eyes. There was the truth, if she would only take it. Maybe it could even make her happy. But, Nessa just shook her head. She and Boq would always be together, no matter what. She preferred to believe in the pretty lies they both told each other and themselves so easily. After all, she was happy. Boq loved her.


	19. Snow

**So, I found this list of prompts, and I decided to just go down the list and write something to go with each one. This is the first one I've done. I have not asked anyone to beta this, and I probably won't for any in the future because they'll be shorter or longer depending on what comes out of my head. Not only that, but I am already bothering my betas with two stories while they have their own works in the process. This can be seen as Gelphie in you squint at it a little, but I wrote it as a friendship. I do have a feeling there will be a few Gelphie ones in the future as well as multiple other pairings. So, enjoy.  
**

Little snowflakes fell to the ground, their individual patterns mixing together into a white wonderland. Galinda's breath steamed against her bedroom window as she watched the powder fall into a serene blanket over the earth.

"What is so fascinating?" Elphaba asked as she sat down beside Galinda, playing with the end of her braid.

"It's snowing," Galinda whispered in awe.

Elphaba rolled her eyes, "It's just frozen water. It's nothing special."

"Yes, but even though it's so ordinary, it makes something beautiful," Galinda replied as she tore her eyes away from the sight outside to look at her roommate.

"That was very deep. I'm impressed," Elphaba said teasingly as she poked Galinda's side.

Smiling, Galinda swatted away her green hand, "Don't do that. So, do you want to go outside?"

"Why? It's cold and we'll get wet," Elphaba replied as she flopped onto her bed and opened a book.

"Elphie, sometimes you're no fun at all," Galinda pouted. "I want to go play in the snow."

"Well, go off and have fun," Elphaba said, waving towards the door. "Just don't expect me to join you."

"Please, Elphie?" Galinda pleaded, her big blue eyes getting bigger by the second.

Elphaba looked up from her book and instantly regretted it.

Sighing, she got up, "Okay, fine. But, we're not going to stay out there for long."

Galinda squealed with excitement and immediately started to pull on her jacket as Elphaba found the warmest clothing she could, grumbling under her breath. When they finally made it outside, Galinda immediately took off running as Elphaba lingered by the door, eyeing the snow distastefully.

"Elphie, come on!" Galinda called as she started to make a snowball.

When Elphaba refused to budge, Galinda flung her handful of snow at the green girl's face, hitting her right in between the eyes. Galinda giggled while Elphaba brushed the snow off her face and bent to the ground to form her own snowball. Galinda quickly took off and hid behind a tree, and Elphaba snuck around the trunk to smash the snowball directly onto Galinda's head.

"Elphie!" Galinda squealed as some of the powder slid past her coat and onto her neck.

Elphaba shrugged, "All's fair in love and war."

Laughing, Galinda knelt and flung snow up into Elphaba's face as Elphaba attempted to get away. Determined to get Galinda back, Elphaba ran away and found a snowdrift to hide behind as she balled the snow up, keeping an eye out for her blonde roommate. When she had a small arsenal of snowballs, Elphaba moved away from her shelter in search of Galinda. As Elphaba left the protective hiding place, Galinda lunged and tackled her to the ground, quickly pinning Elphaba's arms down.

"Surrender," Galinda commanded, her eyes sparkling.

"All right," Elphaba sighed.

Galinda started to climb off of Elphaba, and the second the green girl's arms were free, she flipped their bodies so that Galinda was pinned to the ground.

"Well, look what I have here," Elphaba smirked.

"Elphie, let me up," Galinda huffed as she struggled against Elphaba's body.

"No," Elphaba replied. "Surrender, Miss Galinda."

Galinda pouted for a moment, but she could feel her coat getting wet from the snow, so she relented.

"Fine, I surrender," Galinda grumbled.

Elphaba smiled in satisfaction and climbed off of Galinda, her hands moving to brush the snow off her clothes.

"Now I have snow in my hair. Stupid, bothersome stuff…" Elphaba griped as she tried to get the powder out of her black hair.

Galinda reached up and stilled her hands, "It looks beautiful."

Elphaba shook her head, "The snow, maybe."

Squeezing Elphaba's hand, Galinda just said, "Come on, let's go inside. It's cold."

As they walked back together, Galinda allowed Elphaba's hand to slip out of her grasp, and she was surprised when she felt Elphaba's fingers wrap back around hers. Galinda smiled and leaned her head onto Elphaba'a shoulder, the falling snow erasing the memory of their footprints and bodies from the ground.


	20. Admire

Boq glanced up from his notes and smiled at the sight of Galinda twirling a curl around her fingers. She never paid attention in class, and he wondered at times how she managed to pass. Then, Elphaba leaned over and whispered something in Galinda's ear and pointed down at the blank piece of paper in front of the blonde girl. Galinda picked up her pencil in response and started to scribble some notes before eventually returning to her previous activity. Boq chuckled involuntarily and settled back in his seat.

When the class was over, Boq jumped out of his seat and positioned himself as advantageously as he could in order to speak to Galinda.

"Hello, Miss Galinda," he said as she walked by, trying to keep his smile from being too big or goofy.

"Oh, hello, Biq," she replied absentmindedly as she walked past.

Elphaba shot him an apologetic look, "It's Boq, Galinda."

"That's what I said," Galinda told her. "Oh, look, there's Fiyero."

As Galinda hurried away, Boq stared after her as Elphaba gave him a disapproving look.

"It's impractical, you know, to pine after someone you can't have," she remarked.

"You're one to talk," he snapped.

A blush tinged her cheeks as she narrowed her eyes and started to say something, but Galinda called for her.

"Elphie, come on!" Galinda demanded, tossing her golden hair over her shoulder.

Elphaba ran over to Galinda without a second look back at Boq, and as Galinda disappeared from his view, Boq leaned against the wall. He tried so hard to get her attention, and she never even seemed to see him. Shrugging his shoulders, he walked away; he would simply have to resign himself to admire the goddess from afar.


	21. He

"Do you ever wonder what your husband will be like?" Galinda asked quietly, laying her head in Elphaba's lap.

Elphaba played with Galinda's curls as she replied quietly, "I don't think that I'll ever get married."

"Why not?" Galinda asked, her eyes going wide with shock.

Shrugging, Elphaba said, "Well, I could start with the fact that most normal people are not necessarily attracted to my green skin. Then, I am also a terribly difficult person to put up with. I just have no desire to be stuck with one man for the rest of my life, anyway."

"You make it sound so horrible," Galinda remarked as she wrinkled her nose. "It's supposed to be romantic and wonderful, and there is someone out there for you. You just haven't found him yet."

"And what would this man be like?" Elphaba questioned, resigning herself to playing Galinda's game.

"Well, he would have to be handsome," Galinda mused, furrowing her eyebrows as she continued. "He needs to be sensitive and understanding for when you get angry. He does need to be able to stand up to you so you won't get irritated because he's a pushover. He needs to be romantic and devoted."

"Does such a man exist?" Elphaba asked dryly as she smirked down at Galinda.

Sighing, Galinda rolled her eyes, "Of course he does. You're just too cynical to believe that there can be a good man that exists."

"I have yet to find one," Elphaba remarked, leaning back on her arms as Galinda sat up.

"Fiyero is a good man," Galinda shot back.

Quirking an eyebrow, Elphaba said, "Are you absolutely positive about that, Galinda?"

"Yes, I know he is," Galinda insisted obstinately.

"Congratulations, then," Elphaba conceded. "He is a good man, but he's perfect for you."

"You want to know a secret?" Galinda asked quietly, a wide smile spreading over her face.

"Galinda, the last time you asked me that, you told me that you were going to marry Fiyero after knowing him for one day," Elphaba replied.

"No, I have something better," Galinda said as she inched closer to Elphaba. "Fiyero said that you have no idea how wonderful you are, and that you would find someone one day who would make you happy."

"Fiyero thinks that?" Elphaba asked softly, her smirk fading.

"Yes," Galinda answered. "And, I think he's right."

Elphaba smiled slightly and squeezed Galinda's hand, "Maybe the two of you are right. Maybe that special man is out there, somewhere."

"But, you'll believe it when you see it?" Galinda questioned.

Elphaba merely shook her head and laid down on her bed, "Goodnight, Galinda."

"But, Elphie," Galinda protested, but Elphaba cut her off.

"I said goodnight, Miss Galinda."

With a sigh, Galinda got off of Elphaba's bed and crawled into her own.

"Goodnight, Elphie," Galinda said quietly.

Elphaba curled up into a small ball as she thought about their conversation. She wanted to believe what Galinda had said, she really did, but she knew that the reason that she would never get married had to do with more than just the color of her skin or her impossible personality; she had made the idiotic mistake of falling in love with Fiyero. Closing her eyes, she attempted to push her thoughts of the handsome prince out her head. There was no reason to hope for something that was never going to happen.


	22. Questions

Elphaba sighed as she played with Fiyero's tousled hair, his head resting in her lap. He shifted and directed a smile in her direction; pulling out a book, she pointedly ignored his renewed attempts to tickle her.

"Are you really not ticklish, or are you just pretending?" he asked as his fingers danced over her ribcage.

"What do you think, Fiyero?" she asked patiently, flipping to a new page.

"Why don't you tell me?" he replied, a grin spreading over his face.

"Are you really going to answer me with questions?" she inquired.

"Are you?" he shot back with a laugh.

Cocking an eyebrow, she smirked, "Is the way I conduct my conversations any concern of yours?"

"Why won't you actually answer my real question?" he asked, catching one of her hands as she started to turn the page and kissing it.

"When will you realize that I've already given you the answer?" she said with a sigh as he sat up.

"When will you see how much I love you?" he replied softly, pulling her into a kiss.

"Will you show me again?" she breathed into his ear as his lips wandered down her neck.

Grinning, he kissed her as she pulled him down on top of her, their bodies melding into one.


	23. Not Enough

Fiyero sighed and downed the rest of his drink as he glanced at the bed he shared with Glinda. It had been nearly three years since Elphaba had left, and his life since then had been spent in a haze of studying and parties. He made good enough grades to graduate, mainly because he had focused so much of his time on studying in order to keep from thinking about her. He knew that his habit of drinking had escalated and was almost excessive, but Glinda didn't complain because more often than not, she was drank with him. There were days that he could barely stomach the lie that he was living. He lived in constant fear of actually finding Elphaba and being forced to arrest her and drag her back to the Emerald City to suffer whatever fate the Wizard decided on, and in constant guilt because he knew he was taking advantage of Glinda every day that went by that he didn't tell her that his heart belonged to another woman. It was easier than ending his relationship with her. He still felt like a bastard, though, when they had sex and he thought of Elphaba and wished that he was holding her in his arms instead of Glinda. Shaking his head, he poured himself another drink. It was never enough, but it would have to do.


	24. Beginnings

Melena grinned at the man standing outside in the rain, her green eyes gleaming with pleasure as his wandered appreciatively down her body.

Clearing his throat, he asked, "May I come in?"

"Yes," she replied, opening the door wider as he shuffled inside. "Leave your shoes at the door. I just got new rugs, and I don't want you to track mud all over them."

He quickly pulled off his shoes and followed her into a warm, well-lit room filled with elaborate furniture that looked extremely comfortable after the past few days he had spent sleeping beside the road.

"Take a seat," she commanded, gesturing towards a cushioned chair. "I'll go get some tea."

He sat down as she left the room and glanced around at the walls. There was a large portrait of her with another man hanging over the fireplace, and he assumed that the stern man was her husband. She suddenly reappeared, bearing a tray that held a pot of tea and a plate of cookies.

"So, tell me about yourself," she said pleasantly as she offered him a cup of tea and sat down in a nearby chair.

"Well, my name is Oscar Diggs, and I'm new to the area," he replied carefully as he sipped the steaming liquid. "I'm just a simple peddler, really."

"And what sort of things do you deal with?" she pressed, her curiosity peaked.

"I sell a drink called Green Elixir. I make it myself," he explained as he pulled out a small bottle with curious grooves that wrapped around the green glass.

"May I?" she requested, holding her hand out for the bottle.

He complied and she took it carefully, running her fingers over the grooves as she studied the bottle. Opening it, she sniffed the contents, the scent both strong and vaguely reminding her of something pleasant. She glanced at him, a small smirk on her lips as she took a small sip of the emerald drink, the liquid burning its way down her throat. A small gasp escaped her lips, her mind clouding over, whirling with heady sensations as she gazed at the strange man sitting in front of her.

"What's your name?" he whispered, recognizing the effects of the elixir.

"Melena," she murmured before taking another drink from the bottle.

He watched her breathlessly as she tilted her head in her study of him. He wasn't sure what she was looking for, but all he could think about was how beautiful she was. She didn't understand him, but she felt powerful, seductive, and he somehow held the promise of a great adventure, some new frontier that she hadn't had the chance to explore. After all, his arrival had awakened in her something that had been buried deep inside the recesses of her mind ever since she had married Frexspar Thropp. The desire for the forbidden rushed through her veins, and leaning forward, she met his lips in a kiss.

A few hours later, Melena led Oscar reluctantly to the door, allowing him to slip her another green bottle and one last kiss. As she watched him leave, she wondered for a brief moment if she had made a mistake. She dismissed the thought as quickly as it had come with a shake of her head; whatever had happened had certainly not been a mistake. She hadn't felt so happy or alive in a long time, and she fully intended to keep the feeling that Oscar Diggs had given to her. After all, her husband would never know.


	25. Lovers

**So, I just realized that I have twenty-five chapters on this chapter, so that means that I'm one-fourth of the way to 100 chapters. I'm slightly excited because I thought this had died a few months ago. Don't forget to review. Pretty please?**

Elphaba sighed with contentment as she snuggled into Fiyero's arms, his hands resting comfortably against her stomach. His fingers moved upwards, getting dangerously close to her breasts.

She grinned, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," he mumbled, kissing the top of her head.

"I think you're trying to seduce me," she replied. "Again."

He smiled in response and pulled her into a kiss before asking, "And what if I am?"

"I never knew that being your lover would be so exhausting," she muttered, a moan escaping her mouth as his lips found her neck.

He moved so that he was hovering over her, his muscles rippling. She ran her fingers down his chest, biting her lip as he studied her face.

"What did you call me?" he whispered, kissing her gently.

"My lover," she murmured into his ear, catching his earlobe gently between her teeth.

He groaned heavily and pulled her up into his arms, saying, "Is that what I am to you?"

"Of course," she replied quietly. "I love you, Yero, my hero."

"Fae, my heart, my love," he said, punctuating each word with a kiss as he moved down her body.

She smiled broadly and pulled him back to her, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck as she kissed him passionately.


	26. New Year

Sipping her drink, Elphaba glanced around the room, observing the people who had shown up to Galinda's small New Year's Eve party. Fiyero and Galinda were dancing together as Boq and Nessa watched. Elphaba snorted with amusement at the looks on their faces; while Galinda and Fiyero were completely absorbed in one another, Boq had that stupid grin on his face that he got whenever Galinda was in the room, and Nessa was fuming to the point that Elphaba was surprised that the wheelchair-bound girl hadn't already separated Boq's head from his body. Avaric was supposed to be there, but she had lost track of him. Elphaba took another small sip of her drink. After she had finally gotten it through Galinda's head that she did not want to spend the evening in a drunken stupor, Galinda had forced the fruity cocktail into her hands.

"Are you having a good time?" Fiyero asked, startling her.

"Yes," she replied with a slight smile. "Where did Galinda go?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "No idea. I looked up, and she had wandered off."

Elphaba laughed and finished off her drink.

Taking the glass out of her hands, Fiyero asked, "Do you want some more?"

She grinned, "Yeah. Thanks."

He smiled back, pressing a kiss to her forehead before rushing off in the direction of the makeshift bar Galinda had set up earlier. Elphaba watched him, her brow furrowed as he mixed her a new drink, winking in her direction."

"Why so serious, my lovely Artichoke?"

Elphaba turned and smirked at the sight of Avaric standing in front of her, holding a drink out to her. She took it, cocking an eyebrow as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"I noticed that you had finished your other drink," he explained, rubbing the back of his neck.

Fiyero turned to go back to Elphaba, a triumphant grin on his face, but his happiness quickly disappeared when he saw her talking to Avaric, a new drink in her hands.

"Is this for me?" Galinda asked as she came up behind Fiyero.

"No, it's for Elpha…" he started to explain, but Galinda had already taken the glass out of his hands.

Galinda glanced in the direction of the clock, squealing with excitement as she realized that it was almost midnight.

"It's time for the countdown!" Galinda announced as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet.

Everyone groaned, but they all mumbled the numbers with Galinda as they watched the minute hand on the clock move into position.

"One!" Galinda yelled, pulling Fiyero into her arms and kissing him.

Nessa shot Boq a look, so he leaned down and pecked her on the lips before returning to his former task of staring at Galinda. Elphaba turned to Avaric to make a comment on the inane tradition, but he pressed his lips against hers. She stood there in shock before responding to him hesitantly. It was an unfamiliar sensation and experience, but it was pleasant so she allowed him to wrap his arms around her waist as they kissed. Fiyero separated himself from Galinda in order to catch his breath, and he frowned at the sight of Avaric and Elphaba kissing in the middle of the room.

"What is it?" Galinda asked impatiently as she tried to pull him back to her.

He shrugged, "I don't know. I just don't like it."

"She deserves to be happy, too," Galinda replied.

Fiyero sighed and wandered over to the bar, taking a swig from the first bottle he picked up as he glared in the direction of Elphaba and Avaric.

Elphaba took a step back, grinning at the disappointed look Avaric gave her.

"I have to go," he said reluctantly. Leaning in, he brushed his lips against her cheek and whispered, "Wear your hair down more often. You look beautiful."

He walked off as she stared after him; it wasn't love, but it was something. She bit her lip as she glanced self-consciously around the room, frowning at the stormy expression on Fiyero's face. He met her gaze for a brief moment before turning away. Elphaba sighed; it was a new year, complete with problems but the promise of something at least good, if not wonderful.


	27. Heart

Elphaba walked into the room she shared with Galinda and grimaced at the pink and red decorations everywhere. She batted a glittering heart that was hanging from the ceiling away from her face and dumped her bookbag on the floor.

"Galinda?" she called, certain that the girl was nearby.

"Yes?" Galinda answered, an innocent smile on her face as she emerged from the bathroom.

"Please explain why our room looks like your closet exploded," Elphaba requested, looking around for a clear place to sit down.

Galinda sighed, "Do you not pay attention to any of the major holidays, Elphie?"

Elphaba just gave her a bored look as she tossed her braid over her shoulder.

"It's Valentine's Day," Galinda huffed in annoyance.

"I gathered," Elphaba remarked dryly as she relaxed onto her bed.

Galinda simply turned and glanced at her reflection in the mirror as she said, "You're absolutely no fun. I sometimes wonder if you even have a heart."

"And why do you wonder about that?" Elphaba questioned, crossing her arms behind her head.

"You never take any interest in romantic things," Galinda said. "I mean, surely, eventually you have to be interested in that stuff, especially when you have a significant other. Or do you not care about me at all?"

"I don't think that's a really fair question," Elphaba replied, earning a confused look from Galinda in response. Chuckling, Elphaba said quietly, "I might have had a heart, but I gave it away a long time ago."

Raising an eyebrow, Galinda leaned over and asked in a whisper, "And, to whom did you give your heart?"

Elphaba grinned, "Take a guess, my dear Miss Galinda."

Galinda smiled and kissed Elphaba gently before saying, "Do you really hate all the decorations?"

Elphaba shrugged, "They're fine. Now, do you have any plans tonight?"

"Why do you want to know, Elphie?" Galinda asked as she sat down beside Elphaba.

"Because I thought I would try my hand at all this romantic nonsense," Elphaba murmured in response, pulling Galinda into a kiss.


	28. Birthday

**It's been a while since I've written one of these. And, it's a new pairing this time. Well, the pairing is new for me. It's a Glessa, with a healthy dose of angst. There should be more frequent updates in the future when I'm in between writing new chapters. So, enjoy and don't forget to leave a review!**

Nessa wrapped Galinda's birthday present carefully, tying a small bow around the pretty package. Fiyero had been put in charge of planning Galinda's birthday, and Nessa had worried that he would not remember to invite her, but only a few days ago, Fiyero had appeared at her door with Elphaba and given her an invitation personally. She thought that his friendship with Elphaba was odd; as much as she loved her sister, Nessa knew as well as everyone else that Elphaba was not _normal_. For Nessa, it made the fact that Elphaba was such good friends with Galinda all the more frustrating. Nessa was supposed to blossom at Shiz, finally getting the freedom she had craved for so long, but it was her freak of a sister who had managed to befriend the one girl who made people popular just by gracing them with her presence. Sighing, Nessa shook her head, her dark brown curls swishing prettily around her face. With her generous present, she was sure to capture Galinda's attention and then charm her way into the blonde girl's inner circle. A knock on the door distracted her, and she wheeled herself to answer it, her present resting gently in her lap.

"Are you ready yet?" Elphaba greeted her brusquely as the door swung open.

Nessa sighed, "Yes. Now, if you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you would push my wheelchair for me."

Elphaba softened slightly and replied, "Of course I will. So, you got Galinda a present?"

"It would have been rude not to. You know that necklace she was complaining that she didn't have any earrings to match it? Well, I found some that I think will be perfect," Nessa said with a slight trace of smugness in her voice.

Elphaba nodded her head, "That's very thoughtful, Nessa. I'm sure she'll love it."

As they entered the room Fiyero had set aside for the party, Elphaba placed Nessa's gift on a table already overflowing with presents.

"Where is your gift?" Nessa asked as she surveyed the table.

Elphaba shrugged and pushed Nessa over to where Fiyero was keeping two girls entertained, "I was here earlier with Fiyero to set everything up, so it must be under all the others."

After that, Elphaba was pulled into Fiyero's conversation, and Nessa was left on her own until Galinda arrived. In a whirlwind, everyone managed to give her their birthday wishes, and Elphaba was handing Nessa a piece of cake she had managed to get after the rest of the crowd had nearly demolished it, when Galinda started to open her presents. Nessa didn't even notice the cake Elphaba had finally just shoved into her hands because she was so occupied with keeping up with everything the others had gotten her, hoping that no one else had thought to get earrings to match that one necklace. After a few minutes, Galinda reached Nessa's present, and as she unwrapped the earrings Nessa had spent hours searching for, Galinda squealed with happiness. Galinda gushed over them for a moment before moving onto the last few gifts she had left. Nessa felt a small glow of delicious happiness washing over her as she watched Galinda, and to her surprise, when all the presents were unwrapped, Galinda headed straight for her.

"I just wanted to thank you for the earrings," Galinda said with a wide smile. "It was very sweet of you to put so much thought into my birthday present."

Nessa smiled back, "I'm glad you liked them."

Galinda leant over and kissed Nessa's cheek gently, "I loved them."

Shocked, Nessa stared up at Galinda, searching frantically for something to say, but when her mouth started to form the words, she realized that Galinda had already turned her attention to Elphaba. Nessa felt a pang of jealousy at the way Galinda had brushed Elphaba's hair away from her face and then guilt. She shouldn't resent the fact that Elphaba had Galinda to talk to, to spend time with; after all, Nessa had Boq while Elphaba seemed cursed to remain single the rest of her life. But, somehow, what Nessa was feeling wasn't exactly jealousy for a friendship she didn't have. It was something different, and it frightened her.

Biting her lip, Nessa murmured, "Happy birthday, Galinda."

And she wheeled herself out of the room, away from the party, away from the beautiful blonde girl, and away from the feelings she couldn't and wouldn't ever know.


End file.
